Hearing Aids in Spain
Hearing aids are described as analogue or digital - depending on the technology they use to process sound. The following types of aid are available as digital or analogue (with the exception of body-worn and bone-conduction aids which are analogue only). Your audiologist will advise you on the most suitable type to meet your needs.
Analogue hearing aids have a microphone that picks up sound and converts it into small electrical signals which vary according to the pattern of the sound. The signals are amplified by transistors and fed to the earphone on the hearing aid.
Digital hearing aids take the signal from the microphone and convert it into data which can be manipulated by a tiny computer in the hearing aid. This makes it possible to tailor sounds very precisely and the aids can be very finely adjusted to suit your individual needs.
Some digital hearing aids have “feedback cancellation” which means they can automatically reduce the whistling that bothers many people who use hearing aids
Behind the ear (BTE) hearing aids have an ear mould which sits inside your ear. The hearing aid rests behind your ear and a plastic tube connects it to the ear mould. This is the most common type of hearing aid.
In the ear (ITE) and in the canal (ITC) aids have their working parts in the ear mould so the whole aid fits into your ear. They often need repairing more often than behind the ear aids and sometimes they can be seen from the side. The smallest ITC aids fit right inside your ear canal, where they cannot be seen at all. If you have severe hearing loss, or very narrow ear canals, these aids will probably not suit you.
Body worn hearing aids have a small box to clip on to your clothes or put in your pocket. This contains the microphone and is connected by a lead to an earphone clipped into your ear mould. Some are very powerful and often suitable if you have sight problems, or problems using very small switches or buttons.
Bone conduction hearing aids are for people with conductive hearing loss, or who cannot wear a conventional hearing aid. They deliver sound through the skull by vibrations and can be fitted to a special headband or built into spectacles. The bone anchored hearing aid (BAHA) involves a small operation behind the ear.
Contralateral routing of signal (CROS) and BiCROS hearing aids are for people with hearing in only one ear. CROS hearing aids pick up the sound from the side with no hearing and feed it to the better ear ensuring that you do not miss sounds on your deaf side. BiCROS aids amplify sound from both sides and feed it into the ear that has some hearing.
Disposable hearing aids are only suitable for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. They fit right inside the ear canal and may not be comfortable for everyone because they only come in fixed sizes. They can be thrown away when the battery runs out, which is usually after about 10 weeks.
Waterproof and water-resistant hearing aids have a thin membrane to stop water getting into them. They are suitable for wearing when swimming or doing other water sports.